SPOILER On If AJ Styles Will Retire At WWE Royal Rumble

It appears AJ Styles' pro wrestling career will actually be coming to an end at the 2026 Royal Rumble.

Styles is scheduled to put his career on the line against Gunther at WWE Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Styles had previously announced that 2026 would be his final year as a pro wrestler.

There were questions around if Styles would retire so early into 2026, but Shinsuke Nakamura noted in a since-deleted Instagram post following his Saturday Night's Main Event match with Styles that AJ had told him he would be retiring at the Royal Rumble.

"During last year's Australia tour, at a house show in Melbourne, AJ gave a speech after the match. Listening to it, it was clear he was thanking the fans. But somehow, it also felt like he was hinting that retirement might not be that far away. The tour continued to Japan, and before the shows there, I asked him something. We were in a van on the way to the meet and greet. I asked him, 'When are you going to retire' He answered, 'The Royal Rumble. I've already decided,'" Nakamura wrote.

PWInsider has reported that they were told several months ago Styles would likely finish up his pro wrestling career before WrestleMania 42, and the Royal Rumble was one of Styles' choices.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer has also noted that Styles legitimately told Nakamura he would be finishing up at the Royal Rumble and this isn't a case of WWE planting a story to try and fool people. The plan was also for Gunther to win at the Royal Rumble.

Should Styles retire at the 2026 Royal Rumble, it would be 10 years on from his WWE debut at Royal Rumble 2016.